Who’s the Better Explorer; Lara Croft or Nathan Drake?

Two characters that are similar but oh so different are gaming’s renowned explorers, Lara Croft and Nathan Drake. Lara Croft of the Tomb Raider series is a fierce female that has always grabbed fear by the horns… the old Lara anyway. She dove straight in the heart of danger to get her hands on the ancient artifacts that she sought. She is clever when it comes to solving puzzles and well equip to take on any foe whether it be man or beast. As a formerly capable woman, Lara wouldn’t let anything stand in the way of her and the treasure she desired. Nathan Drake of the Uncharted series has similar goals to Miss Croft. He is determined to solve mysteries and capable of solving difficult issues despite his everyman façade. Drake uses his mind to his advantage and thinks things through to act in the best way possible in a given circumstance. Nathan is a strong man, able bodied and though; someone that has proven he can endure most anything life can throw at him.

Both characters show more than potential when it comes to both exploring and surviving. From being brought in different worlds, with different genders and different ideas; which explorer is better at their job?

Lara Croft is an iconic character that has been around for years. She has always been beautiful, skilled and intelligent. Her athleticism helps her to venture into hazardous tombs in search of ancient artifacts and answers to unknown mysteries. Lara Croft counters what is usually seen with females in games. Putting all thoughts of her new design for the next Tomb Raider game aside, she is not wimpy like other women in gaming but witty, strong willed and needs help from no one. Lara does not take an extremely realistic stand when it comes to how she is compared to the average person but that doesn’t matter because it is the fact that she is capable of doing things that seems ‘out of this world’ that made players love her.

Nathan Drake is clearly a daredevil that doesn’t ever intend on letting anything get in the way of him and his goals. This determined character has a lighthearted sense of humor and an everyman persona with extreme capabilities to complete whatever task is at hand. Being funny and extremely realistic to the average male might not make him a better explorer but it sure does score him points in the likable department. Drake is not super powered, he stumbles while he runs and barley makes it out of dangerous situations but that doesn’t mean he stays away from these dangers. Unlike most characters he is human; he makes mistakes but always has a way to fix them. He is commonly compared to Lara Croft, this is something obvious, he matches her popularity if not surpasses it but does that make him a better explorer?

Both of these characters have been around the world and back. They have both encountered deadly and risky situations and they both deal with life or death situations unbelievably well. These two know how to keep a steady mind when it comes to threats and nearly always make it out without serious injury. The characters mirror each other in obvious ways that no fan can turn a blind eye to. It is the age old comparison, but has it ever been contemplated on which character is actually better at exploring? Well the question is truly unanswerable. It is up to the players to decide who they feel is the better explorer. They are two characters that are so much alike but placed in different situations. While Lara is fighting of giant unrealistic but still terrifying sea monsters, Nathan Drake is dangling off the edge of a cliff from a train wreck working his way back to safety. They have both seen their fair share of tragedy, loss and other experiences so how does one weigh who is actually the better at what they do?